Conventionally, a map displaying apparatus is publicly known that obtains curved-point coordinate information for displaying each of traffic routes individually and map data that includes name information of the traffic routes, both of which are transmitted from a map-data distributing server via a network, and displays a map based on the obtained map data. The traffic routes denote roads, railroads, and the like. There is a type of such a map displaying apparatus that, when the map data is obtained from the map-data distributing server in the form of raster data, displays map display data as the way it is, the map display data including name information of the traffic routes and having been obtained from the map-data distributing server. There is another type of such a map displaying apparatus that, when the map data is obtained from the map-data distributing server in the form of vector data, generates and displays map display data that includes name information of the traffic routes arranged so as to be positioned along the traffic routes.
For example, Non-patent Document 1 discloses a conventional technique for receiving map data in the form of raster data from a map-data distributing server and displaying map display data as the way it is, the map display data including name information of the traffic routes and having been obtained from the map-data distributing server. Further, Patent Document 1 discloses another conventional technique for generating and displaying map display data that includes name information of the traffic routes arranged so as to be positioned along the traffic routes in the map data obtained in the form of vector data. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses another conventional technique for generating, near a traffic route in map data, a rectangular display area in which name information of the traffic route is to be arranged and displaying the name information in the rectangular display area.
Non-patent Document 1: An example of displaying road names with a PC browser, [online] [Searched on October 2, 15th Year of Heisei=2003], the Internet <http://www.mapquest.com/main.adp>
Patent Document 1: The Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H7-182493
Patent Document 2: The Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H7-244719